“Barça’s problem is that it lives from the past”

Ronald Koeman was the special guest of the 39th program ‘Sacred cows’, by Esport3. presented by Lluís Canut. The legendary former player of the FC Barcelona and Barça coach until last fall, he analyzed the club’s situation eight months later and left an important reflection. “One of Barça’s problems is that they live from the past, from ‘tiki taka’. Today football has changed, it’s more physical. And you no longer have Xavi, Iniesta y Messiwho they let go, that was a big stick, also for me,” he stressed.

Koeman had a fundamental reproach towards who was the president who dismissed him, Joan Laporta. “As president you can always doubt your coach, but his big mistake was doubting the outside. That was a big mistake on his part, because the press intervened there, with people in favor and people against. Inside you can have doubts, outside you must respect people more”, he underlined before insisting: “Better look for another coach but not doubt outside doors, that’s the worst thing you can do”.

“In the changing room nobody complained… well, Pjanic”

However, Koeman assured that, as a coach, his time “in Valencia was worse. There were many more problems with the dressing room, with players with president Soler, but at Barça there was never a problem with the dressing room. Nobody can complain… Okay, Pjanic, who has said it in the press. But in general we work well and with a good atmosphere. My personal problem came with the change of president”, he commented.

“It was very difficult and unpleasant”

Hence, he admitted that his dismissal from Barça ended up leaving him with a strange feeling of relief. “It was a bit of a liberation to leave Barça. The year and a half that I lived was the most complicated time for the club, without a president. Then The door He had doubts about the coach and you don’t want that. You know that when you don’t win you know you’ll have problems, but I did a lot of things for this club, because I left the national team. I do not regret having come, but I must admit that it was a very difficult and unpleasant time,” he acknowledged.

The coach defended that his way of playing was not against the style, but rather adapted to the circumstances. “I’m Dutch and I want to dominate the game, but there are games where if you play with three centre-backs it’s not a defensive system. What’s more, in three or four months we played with that system and we played some of the best games in recent years, like the Cup final”, he recalled.

“It is better to trust youngsters like Pedri”

Koeman He highlighted his work promoting young people who are now established in the first team. “I have always said; if one is called Pedri and is 17 years old and another is called ‘whatever’ and is 30, I opt for the young man. I did not know Pedri and after a couple of training sessions I saw an impressive player despite his age. same with Gavi y Nico o Araujo. I tried to give opportunities to young people. It is the most important thing for the club. Players can be signed for 70 million but it is better to trust the youngsters,” he reiterated.

“You have to lose chips, but not with Gavi”

For Koeman, it is key to tie down these young footballers. “Gavi it is future, but each player has his price. The Barça player’s salary has been impressive, we all know that. They have to lower the chips, but with Gavi o Pedri You have to make an effort,” he said.

Koeman came after Leo Messi asked for his departure from Barça by burofax and revealed how his meeting was at the player’s house to ask him to reconsider. “With Messi I went to his house that first day to talk about why he wanted to leave. I wanted him to end up at Barça. Because it is very strong to see him with another shirt. He told me private things that I will not reveal. But then he saw little by little that with these players there was a future. We talked about tactics and he was excited. He is an impressive player, a winner, I have no complaints about Messi during the year and a half that I worked with him,” he described.

“The Dembélé thing shouldn’t last so long”

He also alluded to other players he worked with, such as Ousmane Dembele. “He’s an important player but he needs to improve his effectiveness. He can play on both wings, speed and forward. I don’t understand why the ‘Dembélé case’ lasts so long. As a club you have to be clear until a certain point if you want to continue or not. Yes You don’t want to continue, we’re looking for another. In eight days they return to training and it’s not known if Dembélé will be here,” he said surprised. As for the role of the coach with a player who does not renew, Koeman put the responsibility in the hands of the club. “If the club says ‘we won’t let Dembélé play’ I help the club, but this issue cannot be left in the hands of the coach. The club must make a decision about a player whose contract is ending and does not want to renew. Such a delicate matter It is for the club, not for the coach,” he stressed.

“I know that Frenkie wants to continue at Barça”

About Frenkie de Jong and his possible departure, Koeman pointed out that it may be due to economic reasons for the club. “The only thing I know about Frenkie is that he wants to continue at Barça. He said it a couple of days ago. I don’t know if Barça wants to sell him or needs the money,” he slipped. Yes, he questioned why the Dutch midfielder did not succeed. “It may be that he has not exploded because of a position issue. At Ajax and in the national team with me he played in the position of Busquets but in January and February he played higher up and played great games. The club’s doubts with him can influence his performance. He is a great player and he is for Barcelona”, he highlighted.

“I hesitate to bring Lewandowski, not Koundé”

The possible signing of Robert Lewandowski for Barça raises doubts in Koeman for his 33 years. “” Lewandowski is a great player, a fixed scorer. But he has a certain age. I have my doubts about paying 50 or 60 million for a player of that age, in addition to salary,” he said.

On the other hand, he was much more convinced of going for Jules Koundé, Sevilla’s central defender, and revealed that he made an attempt at signing him. “I like Koundé. I was in the ‘orbit’ to sign him, but there was no money. He is 23 years old and, like Araujo, he is a future, a great central defender,” he concluded.

read also